Revolver.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

0. J. EHBETS.

REVOLVER.

APPLICATION rum) APR. 11, 1902.

10 MODEL.

, UNITED STATES Patented July 28, 1903.

PATENT OEEIcE.

CARL J. EHBETS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO COLTS PATENT FIRE ARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

REVOLVER.

ZPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 734,524, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed April 1l,l902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CARL J. EHBETs, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful In provements in Revolvers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof;

This invention relates to revolvers, and particularly to revolvers of that class in which the cylinder swings laterally from and to its recess in a solid frame for the purpose of charging the chambers of the cylinder with cartridges and of ejecting the empty cartridge-shells therefrom; and the objects of this invention are to provide improved means for automatically and securely confining the cylinder in the frame in the firing position, so thatthe chambers will be accurately alined with and be parallel to the bore of the barrel, and to provide improved means for at will and readily releasing the cylinder, so that it may be turned from and to its place in the frame. These objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a revolver embodying the invention, partly broken out.

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same, also partly broken out. Fig. 3 is a detail horizonial sect-ion on the irregular plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on the plane indicated by the line at at of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the crane looking from the rear with the cylinder-arbor in section. Fig. 6 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4:, showing the stud integral with the frame. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section on the same plane as Fig. 8, showing a modification. Fig. 8 is a section on the plane indicated by the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The barrel 5 is rigidly supported by the solid frame a of the revolver without a joint between the barrel and the grip a, which is integral with the frame, whereby the maxi- Serial No. 102,351. (No model.)

mum strength and accuracy in firing are given to the arm.

The cylinder 0 is arranged in a recess in the frame in rear of the barrel, and for the charging of the chambers in the cylinder with cartridges and for the simultaneous ejection therefrom of the empty cartridge-shells the cylinder is supported by a crane cl, so as to revolve thereon and so that the crane,- with the cylinder, may be swung laterally from and to the normal firing position in the frame.

The crane (Z is jointed to the forward part of the frame below the barrelin front of the cylinder-recess and carries the rearwardlyextending cylinder-arbor d and the crane-arbor (1 a corresponding seat in the frame be= low the cylinder-recess being provided for the reception of the crane-arbor (Z which is free to turn therein, but is locked bysuitable means against moving longitudinally.

The cylinder-arbor cl extends through the cylinder to the cartridge-shell ejector c, which has the usual form and is arranged in a recess in the rear face of the cylinder, two guide-pins e e, as shown in Fig. 3, projecting from the ejector 6 into the cylinder to guide the ejector in its longitudinal movements from and to the cylinder and insure the rotation of the ejector with the cylinder. A central hub on the rear of the ejector projects beyond the face of the cylinder into a recess in the frame and is provided with ratchet-teeth for the rotation of the cylinder, as usual.

The cylinder-arbor d is tubular, and in it the ejector-rodfand the retraction-spring g are arranged, the ejectoruod fextendingfou ward through the crane d and projecting some distance in front thereof and carrying a knobf' at its front end. The retractionspring c, carried upon the ejector-rod between the collar f thereon and the bushing (Z fixed in the end of the cylinderarbor cl, yieldingly holds the ejector-rodf in its normal forward position, and as the ejector e is fitted upon the reduced rear end of the ejector-rod f, between a shoulder and the nut f" fixed thereon, the spring g yieldingly holds the ejector e in its seat in the cylinder c.

The reduced part of the ejector-rod f is somewhat longerthan the corresponding bearing in the ejector e, and the central recess provided in the rear hub of the ejector e for the reception of the nut f is longer than the nut, which allows the ejector-rodfa limited longitudinal movement in the ejector e and independent thereof.

hile it is preferred to make use of the guide-pins e e, as shown in Fig. 3, for so interlocking the ejector and the cylinder that they must revolve together, the same object may be attained by providing longitudinal grooves f in the ejector-rod f, as shown in Fig. 7, and by securing a splined bushingf in the cylinder, as shown in Fig. '7, and between the rear end of the cylinder-arbor d and the front of the ejector e, both of which are somewhat shortened in that case to allow room for such bushing between them in the usual well-known manner, the corresponding bearing in tho ejector being provided with splines to engage the grooves in the rod. In this case the ejector-rod revolves with the ejector and the cylinder, but has a limited longitudinal movementindependent of them.

In the rear of the cylinder the usual cylinder-latch h slides on the frame, the central locking-stud h of which corresponds with the central recess in the hub of the ejector e and serves to lock and center the cylinder in the frame in the firing position, while the exterior thumb-piece 71 serves at will to draw the latch 72. to the rear, thereby releasing the cylinder, so that it may be swung laterally out of the frame. The cylinder-latch is moved to and yieldingly held in its forward operative position by the usual latch-spring h seated in the central stem of the latch. On entering the recess in the ejector e the locking-stud h encounters the end of the ejector-rodfand the nut f and moves them to their forward position in the ejector and in the crane and simultaneously locks the cylinder and the crane in the frame. In this manner the chambers of the cylinder are sup ported by the crane parallel to the bore of the barrel and so that as the rotation of the cylinder carries the chambers successively to the firing position the uppermost chamberis perfectly alined with the bore of the barrel and forms a rearward continuation thereof. The strong form of the crane d and the length of the solid crane-arbor d and of its seat in the frame are sufficient to support the cylinder and to prevent it from being forced out of this proper firing position even when it is locked only at the rear by the cylinder-latch, unless by violent force the crane is bent or sprung laterally away from the frame. In order, however, to positively prevent the crane from yielding even when exposed to violence, the present improved construction is provided to lock the crane (Z in front automatically and positively to the frame a by the forward movement of the cylinder-latch h, which simultaneously locks the cylinder at the rear, and on the release'of the cylinder, by the rearward movement of the cylinderlatch, to release the crane from the frame in front also.

On the inner surface of the front part of the frame a, against which the crane d rests in its normal position, a projecting stud t' is provided, and in the crane is cut a corresponding recess, both stud and recess being tapered, so that in the normal position of the crane the stud t' exactly titsinto the recess and fills it, thus strongly supporting the crane in every direction exceptlaterally, and so that the crane when released can freely turn on the crane-arbor d In the stud t is a groove or recess, and a recess in the rear surface of the crane (1 provides a seat for a locking-bolt j, which has a limited forward and rearward movement therein and extends vertically from the stud t' to the seat of the ejector -rodf in the cylinder-arbor d. On its front the locking-boltj has two projections, the study" and the stem j of which the lower shorter projection or stud j corresponds with the groove in the stud 't', and when the lockingbolt j is moved forward while the crane stands in the normal position against the frame the studj enters the groove in the stud 11, and thereby locks the crane d to the frame a. The upper projection or stem extends forward through a hole in the crane and projects a short distance from the front thereof below the ejector-rod f. The hole in the crane is of a larger diameter than the stem 7' and is closed in front by a bushing 10, through which the stem 7' freely slides. Between the bushing 7c and the locking-bolt j a spiral spring Z is confined, by which the locking-bolt j is moved rearward and yieldingly held in its inoperative position, in which the stud j is withdrawn from the groove in the stud 2, thereby releasing the crane from the frame. On its rear face the locking-boltj carries a projection j which extends from the crane into the tubular cylinder-arbor and is provided with a shoulder in the path of the collar f on the ejector-rod f, so that in the last of its forward movement the ejector-rod f engages the lorking-boltj and moves it to its operative forward position whenever the force by which the ejector-rod is moved forward is sufficient to overcome the tension of the spiral spring Z, by which the locking-bolt j is held in its inoperative rearward position.

The spiral spring Z on the stemj of the locking-boltj is made of sufficient strength to overcome the unaided tension of the retracting-spring g when the ejector-rodfis in its most forward position, in which the spring 9 is only slightly compressed, so that unless to the tension of the spring 9 is added the exertion of some other force in forward direction the springl will move the locking-bolt j to its rearmost inoperative position and keep it there, thus releasing the crane from the frame, and at the same time move the ejector-rod f slightly rearward without, however, movingthe ejector 6, whereby the shoulder on the rodfis brought up to the front of the ejector and the nut f is moved rearward in the central recess in the ejector until the end of the rod 1 and the nntf are flush with the surface of the hub on the ejector. Pressure exerted against the end of the rod and the nut will, however, enable the spring 9 to overcome the tension of the spring I, and thus move the rodfforward in the ejector and in the crane and simultaneously move the lockiug-boltj forward to its operative position.

The end of the stud 2' on the frame has a rounded corner andthe corresponding inner corner of the studj on the lock'ing-boltj also is rounded, so that should the locking-bolt be not fully retracted when the crane is being turned to its closed position the rounded corners of the studs t and j coming in contact would retract the locking-bolt until the stud j can enter the groove in the stud t.

From the foregoing description of the improved mechanism its operation will be readily understood. When the crane and the cylinder are turned to the normal firing position in the frame, the cylinder-latch h in looking the cylinder in rear causes the locking-stud h of the latch to press the ejector-rod fand the lockingboltjforward, thus positively interlocking the crane and the frame in front, because the tension of the strong latch-spring 72, added to that of the spring g, is sufficient toovercome the tension of the springl. 'When the cylinder-latch is drawn to the rear to release the cylinder, the spring Z moves the locking-bolt j to the rear and releases the crane from the frame by again overcoming the unaided tension of the spring g. Instead of locking the crane by causing the lockingbolt to enter the groove in the stud i the locking-boltj obviously might be extended laterally to the rear of the forward part of the frame and look into a recess therein provided; but the construction shown and described is preferable, because it is simple, practical, and efficient, the parts of the device added to the revolver are few and inexpensive, and as they are almost entirely concealed neither the appearance of the arm nor its operation are changed. Moreover, the parts of the device are so located thatall openings are cov-' ered or closed, thus of dirt.

The only visible part of the device when the arm is closed is the end of the stem 7' which projects slightly from the front of the crane. This has been purposely so arranged in order to serve in forcing thelocking-bolt preventing the entrance j to the rear if by breaka e or other mischance the spring Z should be disabled and fail to release the crane from the frame when the cylinder-latch has been drawn to the rear to release the cylinder. By forward pressure against the cylinder-latch the cylinder may be locked at the rear and the crane at the front independently of a latch-spring, and by rearward pressure against the projecting stem j the crane may be released at the front and the cylinder at the rear without the service of a spring in the crane.

Should the crane be prevented from being fully returned to its position against the frame, as by the presence of some substance between the frame and the crane, the improved construction would at once give warning thereof, because the locking-boltj cannot move forward to enter the groove in the stud i until the crane is in its proper position and because unless the locking-bolt moved forward it would prevent the ejector-rod and through it the cylinder-latch from being moved forward to secure the cylinder, even though the rear of the cylinder were forced into the frame far enough to bring the recess in the ejector in front of the locking-stud on the cylinder-latch.

Heretofore in revolvers of the class referred to locking-bolts for securing the laterally-swinging cylinder-carrying crane in the frame have been arranged for locking engagement at the front as well as at the rear of the cylinder by providing a projectinglug or rib on the barrel in front of the frame and by interlocking a bolt carried by the crane with said projection on the barrel, so as to be released therefrom at will. In other cases a locking-bolt has been arranged in such a projection on the barrel so asto extend therefrom rearward and look into the crane or into a part carried by the crane to be released at will.

In the improved construction described in this application by locating the locking-bolt within the crane and by interlocking the crane and the frame directly in front of the cylinder several important advantages are gained. In the first place it permits the barrel to be formed by turning without any projecting lug or rib, so that the barrel itself is of the simplest and therefore the cheapest construction, can be secured to the frame, and being perfectly symmetrical has the form well known to be that most conducive to accuracy in firing. Furthermore, the interlocking of the crane and the frame is obviously made more rigid and secure by having the locking bolt located in the crane itself and directly engaging the frame than it would be if the locking-bolt were carried by a barrel which is, as usual in revolvers of this class, separably attached to the frame and extended rearward to the crane or to some part carried thereby or were adapted to engage the end of along and slender forwardly-extending rod. Again, friction of the locking-bolt on the ejector-rod, which is a necessary and objectionable incident of some constructions, is wholly avoided.

Although some parts of the revolver which do not themselves involve the invention are as the other parts which are directly concerned in the invention, are intended merely to enable the nature of the invention to be more clearly understood andnot to restrict the invention to the particular construction and arrangement shown, since it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a revolver,the combination ofaframe, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a longitudinally-movable rod carried in the crane, an independent locking-bolt also carried in the crane and controlled by said rod, and a cylinder-latch cooperating with said rod to move the same whereby the locking-bolt is also moved.

2. In a revolver,the combination of a frame, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a longitudinally-movable rod carried by the crane, an independent locking-bolt also carried by the crane in the path of said rod and adapted to engage the frame, a spring normally holding said locking-bolt out of engagement with the frame, a spring cooperating with said rod, and a spring-pressed cylinder-latch cooperating with said rod, whereby the pressure of the cylinder-latch cooperating with the pressure of the spring on said rod moves the rod forward and thereby moves the locking-bolt into engagement with the frame against the pressure of its spring.

3. In a revolver,the combination of a frame, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a shellejector carried by the cylinder and an ejectorrod cooperating with the ejector and having a limited movement relative thereto, a cylinder-latch adapted to move the ejector-rod with respect to the ejector, a locking-bolt on the crane in the path of the ejector-rod and adapted to engage the frame when moved by the ejector-rod, and means to move said locking-bolt in the opposite direction to release the crane.

4. In a revolver,the combination of a frame, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a shellejector carried bythe cylinder and an ejectorrod cooperating with the ejector and having a limited movement relative thereto, a cylinder-latch adapted to move the ejectorrod with respect to the ejector, a locking-bolt on the crane in the path of the ejector-rod and adapted to engage the frame when moved by the ejector-rod, and a spring to move said locking-bolt in the opposite direction to release the crane.

5'. In a revolver, the combination of a frame, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a shellejector, an ejector-rod having a limited longitudinal movement in the ejector, an independent locking-bolt carried by the crane in the path of the ejector-rod and adapted to engage the frame when moved by the ejectorrod, means carried by the crane to move the locking-bolt in the opposite direction to re lease the crane, and a cylinder-latch adapted to engage and move the ejector-rod.

6. In a revolver,the combination of aframe, a cylinder, a laterally-movable crane, a shellejector, an ejector-rod havingalimited longitudinal movement in the ejector, an independent locking-bolt carried by the crane in the path of the ejector-rod and adapted to engage the frame when moved by the ejectorrod, a spring and pin carried by the crane to move the locking-bolt in the opposite direction to release the crane, and a cylinder-latch adapted to engage and move the ejector-rod.

7. In a revolver,the combination of a frame, a cylinder, a laterally-swinging crane pivotally attached to the frame of the arm and supporting the cylinder rotatably on its axis, a shell-ejector carried by the cylinder, an ejector-rod connected with the shell-ejector and having a limited movement in said ejector, a cylinder-latch for securing the cylinder in the frame and for releasing said cylinder, a locking-bolt on the crane located in the path of said ejector-rod and adapted to engage the frame, and means for moving said locking-bolt to its released position, whereby the cylinder-latch is moved to the released position.

8. In a revolver,the combination ofa frame, a laterally-movable crane, a laterally-projecting stud on one of said parts said stud having a shoulder and adapted to fit closely in a recess in the other part, a locking-bolt on said other part adapted to engage the shoulder of said stud, and means to operate said bolt.

9. In a revolver,the combination of a frame, a laterally-movable crane, a laterally-projecting stud on the frame adapted to fit closely in a recess in the crane and havinga groove, a locking-bolt carried by the crane and adapted to enter the groove in said stud, and means to operate said bolt.

10. In a revolver, the combination of a frame, a laterally-movable crane, a laterallyprojecting stud on the frame adapted to fit closely in a recess in the crane and having a shoulder, a longitudinally-movable rod carried by the crane, and an independent locking-bolt also carried by the crane and controlled by said rod, and a cylinder-latch cooperating with said rod to move the same whereby the locking-bolt is also moved to engage the shoulder on said stud.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of April, A. D. 1902.

CARL J. EHBETS.

In presence of A. L. ULRICH, K. A. POWERS.

ICC 

